Teens Managing Acid Reflux Disease
Anyone can develop acid reflux even teens that tend to believe that they are infallible. Usually we see picture on TV of adults with acid indigestion or heartburn, but the truth is babies, young kids and even teens can also develop acid reflux disease. Once they have reflux disease can teens manage the acid reflux? How do teens become susceptible to the disease in the first place?
One of the things that can lead to the development of acid reflux is poor eating patterns and teens are notorious for developing poor eating patterns such as over-doing the fast food diet, eating foods high in fat content, or lots of sweets as well as food and drink that contain caffeine. Smoking and drinking can also contribute to acid reflux and teens are likely to experiment with if not indulge in the use of alcohol, tobacco or both. These are the main reasons why teens are at risk for acid reflux disease.
Are you a teen or do you know a teen that may be experiencing any of the following symptoms of acid reflux?
* A burning sensation in the chest which may feel like a squeezing sensation that may radiate behind the back and lasts for a few moments or it can last up to an hour.
* A burning feeling in the esophagus area
* Feeling nauseous
* Has a sore or raspy throat and voice, especially when they first wake up
* Chronic hoarseness
* Bad breath
* Experiences trouble swallowing
* Have a strange feeling like food is stuck in the back of the throat
* A chocking sensation that may wake the teen up from deep sleep
* Experiences respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis or wheezing
* Has a chronic nagging or dry cough
If you are a teen or you know of a teen that is experiencing any of the above symptoms the teen should be seen by a doctor so that a diagnosis can be arrived at and treatment started.
The diagnosis may be made on the symptoms alone or testing may be ordered. The doctor may start the teen on a trial of medication to see if the medication has an affect on the symptoms. If the symptoms do not improve after the medication trial then testing may be done such as barium x-rays, esophageal pH monitoring, or an upper endoscopy. Blood and stool tests may also be conducted in an effort to arrive at a diagnosis.
The teen will be taught lifestyle changes that may be able to have an impact on the symptoms and improve the teen’s ability to eat and sleep without discomfort.
The teen may be asked to modify his/her lifestyle by changing the eating patterns to include taking in smaller, but more frequent meals, limiting his/her intake of acid-stimulating foods and drinks, and making a point not to lie down for about two hours after eating. When sleeping the teen will be asked to elevate the head and chest areas with pillow or by elevating the head of the bed if possible.
If the teen is overweight, the doctor will advice the teen on how to reduce the weight. The teen will be assisted in ways to stop drinking and smokings if those are issues. If the teen is having difficulty coping with stress, relaxation techniques can be learned because stress can lead to symptoms of acid reflux.